Workshop Descriptions
Climate (of) Change: Taking action for climate justice and green jobs
There is a lot of talk these days about the potential of building a green energy economy to address the climate and economic crises. But what does this really mean – what are green jobs? How is this relevant to you and your community? Join Energy Campaigner Andrea Harden-Donahue, the Canadian Labour Congress’s National Representative on Health, Safety and Environment, Andrea Lea Peart, and Council of Canadians board member Marion Moore for a discussion and strategy workshop on green jobs. Based on their report, “Green, Decent and Public” presenters will kick off the discussion with an overview of green job potential in Canada and the distinct advantages of public and community-owned green power. We invite you to join us for strategies and discussions about how we can all work towards green jobs in our communities.
Communications Crossroads: Turning the tide toward media democracy
Newspapers are going bankrupt. Local TV stations are closing up shop. Media workers are being laid off. Existing public broadcasting is in peril. While the federal government is using the escalating media crisis to undermine existing public media, social movements have an unprecedented opportunity to question fundamental assumptions about our media systems. What can be done about the impacts of the economic crisis on the media? How do we transform our media from a mostly private domain fueled by commercial interests to a commons that is democratically accountable to the people, with a much higher priority placed on public media outlets? Join Media Officer Dylan Penner and BC/Yukon Regional Organizer and independent media board member Harjap Grewal for an interactive workshop with strategic discussions on how to expand public and independent media in Canada.
Communities Responding to Crisis: Educating with solutions
This workshop offers participants the opportunity to hear and discuss both the impacts of, and solutions to, the current economic crisis. In this workshop we will identify the root causes of this crisis and the corresponding environmental crisis, leading to a conversation about what truly sustainable solutions can be put forward. The conversation will focus on challenges, opportunities as well as the tools and resources needed to educate others at the community level. The goal is not to produce a grand manifesto, but to inspire activists to challenge our prevailing social and economic ideology at the local level and discuss complimentary policy options at the regional and national levels. Join board member and University of Manitoba professor of economics Robert Chernomas and Marc Lee will provide short presentations on the current crises to lead off the discussion. The workshop will be moderated by board member Morna Ballantyne and B.C./Yukon Regional Organizer Harjap Grewal.
Confronting the G8 in your community: Global opposition, local opportunities
In June 2010, the G8 returns to Canada for a summit in Huntsville, Ontario. As usual, international, national, regional and local civil society organizations will be organizing a People’s Summit at the same time, to highlight alternatives to the economic, environmental and social policy proposals that typically dominate the official G8 agenda. While these groups differ on many details, there is a growing consensus that the converging crises of our times – economic depression, climate change, food shortages, income and opportunity inequality – demand a whole new approach to the global economy. The Canadian government, with its stubborn adherence to anti-protectionist, free trade rhetoric is a barrier in the way of truly responding to the global crises facing us. As Canadians, we have a special responsibility to challenge the official vision and offer more people-focused solutions. Join Ontario-Quebec Regional Organizer Mark Calzavara, Trade Campaigner Stuart Trew and board member Leo Broderick for discussions and strategies and actions we can have in communities across Canada to confront this failed economic model and call for new progressive policies from our government.
Let’s Blue It: Organizing for blue communities
The Council of Canadians launched an initiative this year called the Blue Communities Project to assist communities in their roles as water stewards. The Blue Communities Project promotes a water commons approach to local water governance– a trend that is increasingly popular among social justice movements in the Global South. In this workshop we will learn how to “blue it” as National Water Campaigner Meera Karunananthan discusses strategies for blue communities in Canada and Blue Planet Project Organizer Anil Naidoo shares success stories from allies in the international water justice movement.
Privatization is making us sick
Canada’s health care system is under threat. Private investors are clamouring to cash in on Canada’s public health care system, while for-profit providers and insurers are trying to dismantle medicare in the interests of increased profits. Provincial governments are actively undermining the Canada Health Act by courting the private sector to take a greater role in health care delivery while the federal government continues to ignore breaches of the Canada Health Act. Join public interest lawyer and health care advocate Steven Shrybman and Director of Organizing Carleen Pickard as we highlight the latest constitutional attacks on Medicare – and what we can do to defend our most valued social program.
See For Yourself
Saint John, the so-called Atlantica Energy Hub, with its pollution, corporate control and mega-energy exports to the U.S. is a major industrial player in this region’s economy. A huge oil refinery, pulp mills, pipelines, large electrical generating stations, an LNG terminal and related industries dot the landscape. Can Saint John transform itself into a more diversified, sustainable and self-sufficient community in the future? Get on the bus with local experts David Thompson, Rob Moir and Council of Canadians board member Leticia Adair as they navigate through the pollution to see the beauty of this historic industry town. We will see natural wonders, including the high tides of the Bay of Fundy, and talk about opportunities for green energy and more democratic development.
Watch on the Atlantic
The Atlantic region is as diverse as it is small (relatively speaking). From small fishing villages to larger urban centres; from conservative to progressive values, we are fiercely proud of who we are and where we come from. This year’s opportunity to hear about diverse regional experiences in the Atlantic will provide some insight on the new NDP government recently elected in Nova Scotia and reaction to their energy initiatives, the impacts of the economic collapse on the lobster fishery in PEI and beyond, the collision of industry with water issues in Newfoundland and Labrador (Sandy Pond), and the continuation of the Security and Prosperity Partnership agenda in the form of Atlantica. Join Ken Kavanagh, chapter representative and Director in the Sandy Pond Alliance, Cheryl Ratchford, energy coordinator with Ecology Action Centre, NS, Tracy Glynn with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Mining Watch Canada and the Fredericton Peace Alliance, and Angela Giles, Atlantic Regional Organizer for the Council of Canadians to hear about real Atlantic experiences and opportunities for change at the local level. The discussion will be moderated by Andrea Furlong, Council of Canadians board member.
